Thorpe is ready to dig deep

Graham Thorpe needed no reminding that England were anything but home and dry after three rain-ravaged days of the final Test against South Africa.

Every delay for bad light and electrical storms has given the home side less time to pile on the pressure in their attempt to square this series.

But Thorpe, who had to fight with all his might yesterday to remain unbeaten at Centurion Park, is one of those England players who knows from firsthand experience that situations such as these are fraught with danger.

Three years ago, Thorpe was in Auckland when the tourists, having dominated a series, led 1-0 going into the last Test and were then beaten by New Zealand in a match heavily hit by the weather and apparently going nowhere.

The Kiwis, desperate to force the issue, just like South Africa here, ended up giving themselves a day to scythe through England's second innings. They succeeded, with a session to spare.

Thorpe, Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard were all members of Nasser Hussain's losing team that day and they returned to Centurion Park this morning appreciating that this contest has followed a very similar pattern.

England knew that a draw should be well within their reach, even without further interruptions, while adding to a 2-1 series advantage was not out of the question.

But wickets are likely to fall in clusters for the remainder of this match because the pitch has offered assistance to pace bowlers from the start and is also providing some turn.

Thorpe found himself walking to the crease yesterday following one of those crash, bang, wallop clatters and it was fortunate for the tourists that their most experienced batsman came through a stern examination.

The 35-year-old Surrey batsman had scored 37 runs in his previous four innings. Another quick exit would have left Vaughan's men on the ropes.

Instead, Thorpe battled in typically nuggety fashion, surviving for two and half hours and contributing 32 to a stand of 85 with Andrew Strauss that calmed England nerves.

"Graham came in at a really tough time," said Strauss, who had accidentally started his team's slide by running out opening partner Trescothick. "But he dug it out really well.

"It's one of his great strengths that he can adapt to different situations. If graft is required Graham can do it, but if he needs to smack it around then he can do that as well."

Strauss had to dig deep as well. Having left Trescothick stranded by initially setting off for a single that was never there, the Middlesex left-hander saw Rob Key flick at a leg-side delivery and then watched Vaughan hoik horribly to midwicket.

But a recovery operation looked well on the way to completion when Strauss launched himself into a drive against a ball from Andre Nel that should have been left alone.

The second decisive thunder storm of the day followed one over later and England finished on 114 for four, still 133 runs behind.